monsieur
/mə.sjø/
The English phrase "mr" corresponds to the French term monsieur.
monsieur is a title used before the surname or full name of a man. It can also be used alone as a polite way to address a man without using his name, similar to how "sir" is used in English.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In French-speaking Belgium, the Dutch term Meneer is sometimes used.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of monsieur is messieurs.
How do you pronounce it?
/mə.sjø/ (2 syllables)
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use Mr. as an abbreviation in French. However, the correct abbreviation for monsieur is M.
Did you know?
- In historical French royalty, Monsieur was used as a specific official title for the king's eldest brother, distinguishing him from other members of the nobility.
- The word monsieur literally translates to 'my lord' through its history of combining 'mon' and 'sieur'.
- The plural form messieurs changes the pronunciation significantly, shifting from the 'mø-syø' sound to 'mɛ-sjø'.
Examples in context
- Monsieur Wang est chinois.Mr. Wang is Chinese.This example shows the use of monsieur with a surname.Tatoeba #836513 by Julien_PDC, translation #836394 by Zifre
- Monsieur David a l'air fatigué.Mr David seems tired.Tatoeba #1102273 by sysko, translation #2481293 by Dejo
- Connaissez-vous monsieur Brown ?Don't you know Mr. Brown?Tatoeba #13233 by nimfeo, translation #34256 by Eldad
- Bonjour, Monsieur Dupont. Comment allez-vous?Hello, Mr. Dupont. How are you?
- M. LefebvreMr. Lefebvre
- 120 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Léa is introducing her boss to Nathan.
- LéaJe vous présente monsieur Legrand.I introduce you to Mr. Legrand.
- NathanEnchanté, monsieur Legrand.Nice to meet you, Mr. Legrand.
- LéaIl est le nouveau directeur.He is the new director.
- NathanBienvenue chez nous, monsieur.Welcome to our office, sir.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry monsieur, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries monsieur, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
